Indian govt has vowed to toughen penalties for rape

Updated
December 31, 2012 09:48:00

India has been plunged into grief and anger over the death of a young woman who was gang-raped in the nation's capital, New Delhi. The 23-year-old woman was cremated yesterday, triggering more protests around the country and demands for better protection for women. The death has focused attention on the high rate of sexual assault in India. The government has vowed to act to toughen penalties for rape.

TIM PALMER: India has been plunged into grief and anger over the death of a young woman who was gang raped in the nation's capital, New Delhi.

The 23-year-old woman was cremated yesterday, triggering more protests around the country and demands for better protection for women.

Faced with that growing public anger, the government has vowed to act to toughen penalties for rape.

South Asia correspondent Michael Edwards reports from New Delhi.

(Chants of protest)

MICHAEL EDWARDS: While most of the people who poured into central New Delhi to mark the young woman's death came with peaceful intentions, it didn't mean they weren't angry.

WOMAN: I feel ashamed to be an Indian. I feel ashamed to call myself as Indian.

MICHAEL EDWARDS: Thousands attended rallies across the country. Most were peaceful, although there were some scuffles between police and demonstrators in New Delhi.

The death of the 23-year-old student has sent a wave of grief across India. Her ordeal is now over but the details of it are appalling. She and her boyfriend were picked up by a group of men in a bus in South Delhi earlier this month.

They were then set upon - both were bashed. The woman raped repeatedly. They were then thrown off the bus and left to die.

On Saturday, the as yet unnamed woman succumbed to her terrible injuries in a Singapore hospital.

Six suspects have been arrested. They now face murder charges.

MALE: As far as I am concerned, my personal feeling is that they should be tortured to death.

MICHAEL EDWARDS: It's estimated a woman is raped every 20 minutes in India, with New Delhi having the worst reputation for safety. Large numbers of assaults go unreported and the conviction rate is relatively low.

Many blame a macho culture, but veteran feminist Sahba Farooqi blames a lack of tough laws.

SAHBA FAROOQI: There is ineffective and inefficient laws, implementation of laws, and some gender insensitivity among the society and the officials among the police.

MICHAEL EDWARDS: With public anger is almost boiling over, the government knows it has to act.

It's considering a number of new laws, including a 30-year jail term for those convicted of rape, the establishment of fast-track courts to finish trials quickly and more radically, the chemical castration of offenders.

India's prime minister, Manmohan Singh, has described the woman's death as a national tragedy and he was with her family when her body arrived back in New Delhi.

But he's yet to speak publicly. That job has been left to the head of the ruling Congress Party, Sonia Gandhi.

SONIA GANDHI: To all of you who have stood vigil, who have expressed your anger, your anguish publicly, who have poured out in her support, I want to assure you that your voice has been heard. As a woman and a mother, I understand how you feel.

MICHAEL EDWARDS: It's now emerged that the young woman who died was engaged to the young man who also badly injured in the attack.